Before I left, Matt and I went and bought 2 copies of the same devotional book so that we could both read it while I´m gone. It´s called Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado. It has a short devotion for both the morning and evening everyday, which I have enjoyed. We usually discuss them a little over email. Last night´s devotion was on this verse from Matthew 25. ¨I was without clothes and you gave me something to wear... I tell you the truth, anything you did for the least of my people here, you also did for me¨(verses 36 & 40, I´m not sure which translation).
In Guatemala, I feel like I see so many needy people everyday. These people live with so much less than the vast majority of us in the States. Everyday I see the same blind man sitting on the bench across from CASAS, begging for money; and the same young woman with a baby strapped to her back as we walk to our bus stop every day, also begging for money. And yet, I´m not sure how to help. Do I throw them a coin every time I go by? And the children who walk around selling jewelry in the plaza- Do I buy from them, even if I don´t want it? And where is the line between being generous and flaunting money, or is there one? We debated this issue last summer in Nigeria, and there were a variety of opinions. I guess I feel like I can´t make much of a difference, but maybe giving a few quetzales to the begging woman will buy dinner for her family. Then again, who knows if she has a house or kitchen or the means to cook. Giving money always seems like the easy answer, but I guess it can´t hurt. We will start working at the hospital on Monday, which I am excited about, but also nervous because of my inability to speak Spanish. They say that most of the patients are very low income. Hopefully we will learn a lot and will be able to make a difference in at least a small way.
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